The Working Lunch #63
Same. But different. Ringing the changes with the everyday eats.
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and eat the same few meals on repeat. There are times when it works really well, you batch cook, you make ahead, and it gives you a whole week of lunches.
Sometimes you want to ring the changes.
Switching up the everyday basics, like buying a different type of bread, can be just enough to take lunch in a new direction.
Having a few variations on a theme can make one main ingredient more versatile.
Swapping your sliced white for a different type of bread might make you give your sandwich fillings a little bit more thought. You might get creative with the condiments and accoutrements or even pare it back to a simple cheese sandwich if the bread rolls are that good.
By picking up a pack of Greek flatbreads on my weekly Big Shop, my lunches, which might have been simple sandwiches this week otherwise, are now open plates piled high with vibrant flavours.
Have you had a lunch break al fresco yet?
Just a sandwich…
Flatbread with chicken salad
Outfit number one
Having a flatbread at the heart of the meal, means that leftover roast chicken lends itself well to cooked peppers and onions, rather than a plain chicken mayo sandwich.
Ingredients:
1 Greek flatbread
Leftover roast chicken
1/2 Red pepper
Sliced spring onion
Oil for frying
Oregano & thyme
Fresh chilli
Salt & pepper
Shredded red cabbage
Cucumber
Greek yoghurt
Date syrup
Fresh mint
Sriracha
To make:
Heat the flatbread.
Next, I shredded and reheated some leftover chicken in a frying pan with a little oil, the sliced red pepper, spring onions, with a pinch of thyme, oregano, salt & pepper.
Once it was heated thoroughly, I piled it onto the flatbread and added the salad ingredients — shredded red cabbage and cucumber.
Then drizzled on the Greek yoghurt, date syrup and sriracha, and topped with some fresh mint leaves.
It would work well without the chicken, just using peppers or even courgettes.
Just a sandwich…
Flatbread with fresh falafel
Outfit number two
Ring the changes. Same base. Same vibe. Tweak the salad, and switch up the sauces. Swap the chicken for fried beetroot & chilli falafel (from a packet mix - super easy and super fresh).
Ingredients:
1 Greek flatbread
1 pack of Beetroot & Chilli Falafel
Sliced red onion
Oil for frying
Fresh chilli
Salt & pepper
Shredded red cabbage
Salad leaves
Greek yoghurt
Date syrup
Chopped fresh mint
Lemon juice
To make:
Heat the flatbread.
Prepare and cook the falafel as per the packet instructions. You could swap these for ready-made ones.
Make a simple sauce by combining the Greek yoghurt with chopped fresh mint, lemon juice, salt & pepper and some date syrup.
Assemble the flatbread with salad leaves, finely sliced red onion, fresh chilli, and more shredded red cabbage (because they seem to go on forever).
You’re gonna need a knife and fork for these.
From the archives…
Fresh falafel salad bowls
What to do with the rest of the falafel (if you haven’t eaten them all)?… How about a falafel bowl? Read more on the TWL #9.
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